2020 Chicago tornadoes
On April 7, 2020, two twin tornadoes, both EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, impacted the Chicago area. The twin supercells impacted mainly the northern and southern portions of the Chicago metropolitan area, with the downtown area mostly being spared. Both cells moved into Lake Michigan that evening and diminished. Northern tornado |type = EF4 tornado|image location = Olathe, KS EF4.jpg|image caption = The northern tornado nearing peak intensity, about 5 minutes before hitting the Chicago area.|date = April 7, 2020|times = 1918-2001|touchdown = Near Elgin, Illinois|winds = 175 mph (estimate) 171.6 mph (Doppler-on-Wheels confirmed)|injuries = 197|fatalities = 28|damage = $197 million (2019 USD)|areas = Chicagoland area|tornado season = Tornado outbreak of April 7-9, 2020}}The stronger of the tornadoes likely touched down around 1918 near Elgin, Illinois. The tornado tracked eastward, producing EF1-EF2 damage near Streamwood around 1925, before continuing to produce EF2-EF3 damage in Schaumburg around 1931-1935. As the tornado continued into far northwest Chicago, it produced EF3-EF4 damage around 1940-1945, and at 1943, a Doppler-on-Wheels confirmed a wind gust of 171.6 mph when it was hit by the tornado. The tornado continued to cause EF2-EF3 damage to O'Hare International Airport, with the main structure receiving low-end EF4 damage at 1946. The final area of EF4 damage occurred in Des Plaines at 1949. The tornado accelerated eastward, causing EF2-EF3 damage in Skokie around 1954, and EF1-EF2 damage in Evanston around 1958. The tornado moved offshore as a low-end EF1 at 2000, and diminished at 2001. The northern half of Chicago had received moderate to significant damage from the tornado, with Schamburg and Des Plaines being the worst effected. The tornado had killed 28 people, and was the single deadliest tornado of the outbreak, 26 of the 28 killed were at the O'Hare International Airport when the tornado struck, and likely did not take proper tornado precautions. The supercell continued to cause unprecedented flooding in the Chicagoland area when it's tail-end split off around 2010 and stalled over the Chicago area. Southern tornado |type = EF4 tornado|image location = Midway, IN EF4.jpg|image caption = The southern tornado causing moderate damage near the Chicago Midway International Airport.|date = April 7, 2020|times = 1936-2005|touchdown = Near Countryside, Illinois|winds = 170 mph (estimate) 158.3 mph (confirmed at Chicago Midway International Airport)|injuries = 36|fatalities = 3|damage = $93 million (2019 USD)|areas = Chicagoland area|tornado season = Tornado outbreak of April 7-9, 2020}}The southern tornado likely touched down at 1936 near Countryside, Illinois. The tornado moved northeast, causing substantial damage to Clearing, with estimated winds of 160-165 mph at this point. The tornado continued to cause EF2-EF3 damage to Chicago Midway International Airport, with a peak wind gust of 158.3 mph being recorded at 1942 before the station was knocked offline. All 3 killed in the tornado were killed at 1943-1944 when the tornado hit the main structure. The tornado continued northeast, causing damage suggesting winds of 165-170 mph at Archer Heights around 1950. It moved southeast of Brighton Park at 1952, causing EF2-EF3 damage there. At 1955, the tornado hit Bridgeport, causing EF1-EF2 damage, before it hit Armour Square, causing EF0-EF1 damage. It moved offshore at 2004, and diminished at 2005.